DirecTV and Sage, new subscriber.

[KryptoNyte]

What is the best setup for Sage at this point and DirecTV for a brand new subscriber? Which STB, and will it support http tuning? HD-PVR 1212 work okay? How about the Colossus via HDMI?

[aaronb]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

What is the best setup for Sage at this point and DirecTV for a brand new subscriber? Which STB, and will it support http tuning? HD-PVR 1212 work okay? How about the Colossus via HDMI?

I have DTV, and I have an HR44 and a Genie. I use the Colossus with HDMI from the Genie and HTTP tuning. Works great.

[Fuzzy]

It's almost always better to avoid actual DVR boxes when integrating them with sage. just get the simplest HD STB, and you'll be better off.

[KryptoNyte]

In reading some of the forums, I'm finding some limitations with the DirecTV services. For example, I can't find a single DirecTV monthly plan - there always seems to be some kind of contract required, which I've done well to avoid over the past decade or so. Is there any way to get this system hooked up on a month-to-month fee instead of a two-year contract? That two-year deal is a nasty one - the monthly cost seems okay for the first 12 months, but you get hammered for the second 12 month period.

I've also noticed that customers don't seem to have any control over which STB's they receive, and some STB's appear to be better than others, or so it would seem from the customer's posts. Is there any definitive way to know which receiver you'll get it you refuse any form of DirecTV DVR? Additionally, are there local DirecTV offices where you can sit face-to-face with a customer service representative?

I was considering just trying the service for a few months to see how I liked it, but I don't see how that's possible without some serious fees and early termination penalties.

[SHS]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

In reading some of the forums, I'm finding some limitations with the DirecTV services. For example, I can't find a single DirecTV monthly plan - there always seems to be some kind of contract required, which I've done well to avoid over the past decade or so. Is there any way to get this system hooked up on a month-to-month fee instead of a two-year contract? That two-year deal is a nasty one - the monthly cost seems okay for the first 12 months, but you get hammered for the second 12 month period.

That all satellite leased services they are all two-year contract, but if you can buy all own receiver and dish and other parts but it not going be cheap you need call them and ask I think min was 2 receiver.
New customer can order up to 4 receivers no ext cost + 2 more at full cost max of up to 6 receivers at point of sale on a leased services and had to wait until after initial installation to add more but have buy them receiver out right no craigslist, ebays used parts, most new unused factory sealed parts.

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I've also noticed that customers don't seem to have any control over which STB's they receive, and some STB's appear to be better than others, or so it would seem from the customer's posts. Is there any definitive way to know which receiver you'll get it you refuse any form of DirecTV DVR? Additionally, are there local DirecTV offices where you can sit face-to-face with a customer service representative?.

On there web site that ture as you can't ask for xyz hardware you have to call them and tell them what you want like let say all Directv H25 only, Some time you get lucky and get to the tech installer person before he going be install the stuff make sure he know before when he calls or when installation guy show up to install the stuff it what you wanted if not something eles other then work ing what has or sent them packing
Me it my way or highway buddy hehe.

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I was considering just trying the service for a few months to see how I liked it, but I don't see how that's possible without some serious fees and early termination penalties.

You ne much happyer the with DirecTV then Dish Network which seem be over compressed which look more degrade in the quality as I can clear lee see the diff on channel like let say Cartoon Network and other which seem to have more jpeg artifacts and dish has no native resolution switch which ver bad as end with bar board all way the TV screen and recording.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by SHS

That all satellite leased services they are all two-year contract, but if you can buy all own receiver and dish and other parts but it not going be cheap you need call them and ask I think min was 2 receiver.
New customer can order up to 4 receivers no ext cost + 2 more at full cost max of up to 6 receivers at point of sale on a leased services and had to wait until after initial installation to add more but have buy them receiver out right no craigslist, ebays used parts, most new unused factory sealed parts.


On there web site that ture as you can't ask for xyz hardware you have to call them and tell them what you want like let say all Directv H25 only, Some time you get lucky and get to the tech installer person before he going be install the stuff make sure he know before when he calls or when installation guy show up to install the stuff it what you wanted if not something eles other then work ing what has or sent them packing
Me it my way or highway buddy hehe.


You ne much happyer the with DirecTV then Dish Network which seem be over compressed which look more degrade in the quality as I can clear lee see the diff on channel like let say Cartoon Network and other which seem to have more jpeg artifacts and dish has no native resolution switch which ver bad as end with bar board all way the TV screen and recording.

The Dish Network artifacts have more to do with scaling in the set top boxes not being very good. Dish broadcasts 1444x1080 High Profile h.264 @ 5Mbps, its just that their boxes do not have very good scalers to bring it up to 1920x1080. When I had dish, and used R-5000HD modifications to get the direct stream, and then had it scaled with a much better scaler in my PC client, there was not sign of any artifacting at all, in fact, the quality was about the highest I'd seen in a service provider. Of course, since the R-5000HD isn't an option for new customers, it's sort of a moot point.

[SHS]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The Dish Network artifacts have more to do with scaling in the set top boxes not being very good. Dish broadcasts 1444x1080 High Profile h.264 @ 5Mbps, its just that their boxes do not have very good scalers to bring it up to 1920x1080. When I had dish, and used R-5000HD modifications to get the direct stream, and then had it scaled with a much better scaler in my PC client, there was not sign of any artifacting at all, in fact, the quality was about the highest I'd seen in a service provider. Of course, since the R-5000HD isn't an option for new customers, it's sort of a moot point.

Hmm don't think so in past at one point in time Dish did have out standing PQ in 2000's when I had them before I moved to oklahoma we going be in town but it didn't work out that way so end going back sat so I try DirecTV which I had 3 years and 1 year ago I going back to Dish and rigth way I could see the diff but I give the hopper a chance's to me it a joke as DVR vs SageTV.
I know that was then not now for what other say it more 1/2 that bitrate becuases keep add in more BS channel or you say it possable there hardware is just that poor of decoder.

[aaronb]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

In reading some of the forums, I'm finding some limitations with the DirecTV services. For example, I can't find a single DirecTV monthly plan - there always seems to be some kind of contract required, which I've done well to avoid over the past decade or so. Is there any way to get this system hooked up on a month-to-month fee instead of a two-year contract? That two-year deal is a nasty one - the monthly cost seems okay for the first 12 months, but you get hammered for the second 12 month period.

I've also noticed that customers don't seem to have any control over which STB's they receive, and some STB's appear to be better than others, or so it would seem from the customer's posts. Is there any definitive way to know which receiver you'll get it you refuse any form of DirecTV DVR? Additionally, are there local DirecTV offices where you can sit face-to-face with a customer service representative?

I was considering just trying the service for a few months to see how I liked it, but I don't see how that's possible without some serious fees and early termination penalties.

I don't think there is anyway to avoid the contract. I know a lot of people that have been able to get the bill reduced for the 2nd year after the promo rate wears off.

Everyone I know who has signed up in recent years gets the latest and greatest boxes. In my experience the boxes are lightyears ahead of what I had from Comcast. But you can also usually find used ones on ebay/craigslist if you want a different one. I bought a used HR21 for $10 the other day, for the reason Fuzzy mentioned in the third post.

[KryptoNyte]

Thanks for the input, folks. I'm not sure I can swallow the 2-year contract for satellite tv any more. If only we still had the Dish VIP211 R5000 option.